Shower drainage system having slimline waste conduit device

ABSTRACT

A shower drainage system ( 10 ) comprises a shower tray or former ( 12 ), a waste water device ( 14 ) attached to a waste water outlet ( 16 ) of the shower tray or former ( 12 ), and a slimline waste conduit device ( 18 ) which extends from a waste water outlet ( 20 ) of the waste water device ( 14 ). The slimline waste conduit device ( 18 ) has a, or a total combined, hydraulic radius which is greater than the hydraulic radius of a single shower drainage pipe of circular cross-section having a diameter equivalent to the minor lateral dimension of the slimline waste conduit device.

The present invention relates to a shower drainage system having aslimline waste conduit device, and also to a slimline waste conduitdevice specifically adapted for use with the shower drainage system.

Shower drainage pipes are, historically, circular. In order to install ashower tray, and in particular a level- or low-entry shower tray or ashower former on which a waterproof floor covering material can beoverlaid, the drainage pipe or pipes have to be run therebelow. In thecase of gravity-assisted drainage only, the pipes have to be ofsufficient diameter to allow suitable through-flow without blockingand/or backing up, thus resulting in flooding.

When presented with limited under-tray space, which can often happenwhen installing low-level components, such as a level-entry shower trayor a shower former, in or on a concrete floor or within the depth offloorboards, the diameter of the drainage pipe must be considered, andit often has to be reduced in order to fit. In this instance,electric-pump-assisted drainage must then be considered in order toprovide adequate through-flow from the shower tray. However, by reducingthe pipe diameter, drainage efficiency inherently suffers.

The use of an electric pump itself presents problems, since a suitablesupply of power needs to be present and isolated from any chance ofwater contact. The pump also requires maintenance, and can be prone tofailure.

Consequently, gravity-assisted drainage is preferable, but only if asuitable drainage conduit having an appropriate area can be utilised.

The present invention seeks to address this problem.

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a showerdrainage system comprising a shower tray or shower former, a waste waterdevice attached to a waste water outlet of the shower tray or former,and a slimline waste conduit device which extends from a waste wateroutlet of the waste water device and which has a minor lateral dimensionand a major lateral dimension which is greater than the minor lateraldimension, the slimline waste conduit device having a, or a totalcombined, hydraulic radius which is greater than the hydraulic radius ofa single shower drainage pipe of circular cross-section having adiameter equivalent to the minor lateral dimension of the slimline wasteconduit device.

Preferable and/or optional features of the first aspect of the inventionare set forth in claims 2 to 15, inclusive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided aslimline waste conduit device which is specifically adapted forconnection to a waste water device of a shower drainage system inaccordance with the first aspect of the invention, the slimline wasteconduit device having a, or a total combined, hydraulic radius which isgreater than the hydraulic radius of a single shower drainage pipe ofcircular cross-section having a diameter equivalent to the minor lateraldimension of the slimline waste conduit device.

Preferably, the waste conduit device includes two or more channels.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided aslimline waste conduit device in accordance with the second aspect ofthe invention, in combination with a waste water device for location ina waste water outlet of a shower tray or shower former.

The present invention will now be more particularly described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a shower drainagesystem, according to the first aspect of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section through a shower tray, waste water device andslimline waste conduit device of the shower drainage system, shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional side view of part of ashower former, waste water device and slimline waste conduit device;

FIG. 4 is a non-cross-sectional elevational view of the shower drainagesystem, similar to that shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the waste water device in isolation fromthe shower former and slimline waste conduit device;

FIG. 6 is a view of the waste water device, similar to that shown inFIG. 5, but in cross-section;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view from one end of the slimline waste conduitdevice, and showing a transition element;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the transition element;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the transition element, when inverted;

FIG. 10 is a view from one end of the slimline waste conduit device,showing the shape of an opening;

FIG. 11 is a view of a second embodiment of a shower drainage system,according to the first aspect of the invention and showing a differentslimline waste conduit device;

FIG. 12 is a view from one end of the slimline waste conduit device ofthe second embodiment; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a transition element of the slimlinewaste conduit device of the second embodiment.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 to 10, there is shown a first embodiment ofa shower drainage system 10 which comprises a shower tray or showerformer 12, a waste water device 14 attached to a waste water outlet 16of the shower tray or former 12, and a, typically moulded plastics,slimline waste conduit device 18 which extends from a waste water outlet20 of the waste water device 14.

The shower tray or former 12, in this case, is a shower former forlocation beneath a waterproof floor covering material, such as tiles ora continuous plastics sheet, exemplified by Altro RTM. The formercreates a predetermined fall towards the waste water outlet 16 thereof,simplifying installation. In the case of the plastics sheet, the wastewater device 14 includes a continuous clamping ring 22 which can clampthe plastics sheet to the base 24 of the waste water device 14. Aremovable grid cover 26 is supportable on the clamping ring 22 to covera waste water inlet 28 of the waste water device 14.

However, the invention is equally applicable to a shower tray, and inparticular a low-level or level-entry shower tray.

The waste water device 14 also includes a trap 30, in the form of anupwardly projecting water inlet passage 32 and a spaced cover 34 whichis formed as part of the grid cover 26 and which includes a dependingskirt 36 which surrounds the water inlet passage 32 in spacedrelationship.

Although integrally formed as one-piece, the cover 34 of the externaltrap 30 can be separate of the grid cover 26.

The waste water device 14 includes a chamber 38 formed as part of thebase 24 of the waste water device 14. The chamber 38 defines a wastewater cavity 40 having length and width dimensions which are greaterthan the maximum dimension or diameter of the water inlet passage 32.The trap 30 is, in this embodiment, external of the cavity 40. However,it is feasible that the trap could be provided within or partiallywithin the cavity 40.

The waste water outlet 20 of the waste water device 14 is elongate andnon-circular. The waste water outlet 20 has a length which is greaterthan a depth of the waste water cavity 40.

The slimline waste conduit device 18 is elongate and uniform over all orthe majority of its longitudinal extent. The waste conduit device 18 hasa hollow tubular single-bore conduit body 42 defining a non-circularexterior lateral cross-section which is complementarily shaped to fitthe waste water outlet 20 of the waste water device 14. Connection canbe by bonding or, for example, solvent welding.

The non-circular exterior lateral cross-section of the waste conduitdevice 18 has a major exterior lateral dimension which, when connectedto the waste water device 14, extends in parallel or substantiallyparallel with the shower tray or former 12, and a minor exterior lateraldimension which is less than the major exterior lateral dimension andwhich extends perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to theshower tray or former 12.

As best seen in FIG. 10, lower and upper interior surfaces 44, 46 of theslimline waste conduit device 18 include two contiguously formed concaveor scalloped portions 48 which follow each other consecutively in alateral plane. The two concave portions 48 thus form two parallelshallow channels 50 which extend along the longitudinal extent of theconduit body 42. The concave portions 48 increase the rigidity of thewaste conduit device 18, and also promote self-cleaning since wastewater tends to wash sideways as it travels along the channels 50.Furthermore, the concave or scalloped portions 48 increase the hydraulicradius, and thus the drainage efficiency.

Although two concave or scalloped portions 48 are suggested, one or morethan two concave or scalloped portions can be provided. The concaveportion or portions may only be provided on the lower interior surface44.

The slimline waste conduit device 18 also includes a transition element52 to allow connection of the conduit 18 to a drainage pipe of standardcross-section, being typically circular.

In this embodiment, the transition element 52 is separate of the conduitbody 42 and attachable thereto, for example via solvent welding.However, the transition element 52 can be integrally formed with theconduit body 42 as one-piece.

The transition element 52 may also be conveniently made using plasticsinjection moulded components which are solvent or ultrasonically weldedtogether to make a single unified body, such division of the single body52 being taken to overcome potential re-entrant regions of amanufacturing mould tool which might otherwise make the part impossibleto mould by such means.

The transition element 52 includes an elongate non-circular first end 54which funnels to a circular second end 56. The first end 54 iscomplementarily shaped to fit one end of the conduit body 42, while thesecond end 56 is complementarily shaped to fit an end of a standarddrainage pipe. By ‘standard’ it is understood to refer to national andinternational plumbing, waste pipe and pipe fitting standards as createdby such bodies as BSI in the United Kingdom, EN within the EuropeanUnion and ANSI in the United States of America, although this list isnot exhaustive and by way of example only. A ‘standard’ diameter istypically a diametric dimension of or substantially of 30 millimetres.However, a drainage pipe of circular cross-section and having a diameterin the range of 32 mm to 50 mm can be considered ‘standard’.

The first end 54 and the second end 56 are asymmetrically aligned in aplane which bisects the first end in a direction parallel to itslongitudinal extent. In other words, the fall of the transition element52 from the first end 54 to the second end 56 is steeper in oneorientation and shallower when the transition element is inverted.

Referring now to FIGS. 11 to 13, a second embodiment of a showerdrainage system will now be described. In this embodiment, it is onlythe slimline waste conduit device which differs, and therefore, in allother respects, the shower tray and the waste water device are asdescribed above. Features of the slimline waste conduit device which aresimilar to those of the first embodiment have similar references, exceptwith ‘100’ added. Further detailed description is thus omitted.

As in the first embodiment, the slimline waste conduit device 118 has auniformly elongate conduit body 142 and a separate transition element152. The conduit body 142 includes four hollow tubular elongate channelsor bores 150 having circular lateral cross-sections. The bores 150 areindependent so as to liquidly isolated from each other, but may beintegrally formed together as one-piece. The conduit body 142 thereforehas a non-circular exterior lateral cross-section which iscomplementarily shaped to fit the waste water outlet 20 of the wastewater device 14.

The non-circular exterior lateral cross-section of the waste conduitdevice 118 has a major exterior lateral dimension which, when connectedto the waste water device 14, extends in parallel or substantiallyparallel with the shower tray or former 12, and a minor exterior lateraldimension which is less than the major exterior lateral dimension andwhich extends perpendicularly or substantially perpendicularly to theshower tray or former 12.

As in the first embodiment, and due to the circular lateralcross-sections of the channels or bores 150, the upper and lowerinterior surfaces of the bores 150 have concave portions 148, whichagain promote rigidity and self-cleaning.

The transition element 152 is similar to that described in the firstembodiment, and although separate of the conduit body 142, can beintegrally formed as one-piece.

The first end 154 of the transition element 152 is non-circular andcomplementarily shaped to fit one end of the conduit body 142. Thesecond end 156 is complementarily shaped to fit a standard drainagepipe.

Due to the two ends 154 and 156 being asymmetrically aligned, as in thefirst embodiment, the selectable fall is again provided.

Although bores of circular cross-section are suggested, non-circularcross-sections can be used.

In a third embodiment, being a modification to the second embodiment,the slimline waste conduit device can comprise multiple and independentconventional circular elongate waste pipes. The multiple pipes can beinstalled in cooperation with multiple individual receiving socketsprovided in both the transition element and the waste device, similar tothe second embodiment. This arrangement allows the plurality of multiplewaste pipes, thus defining multiple channels, to be separately routedfrom the waste discharge around obstacles below the shower installationand to be recombined at the transition element.

When the multiple separate waste pipes are grouped together, and thustaken as a whole, the exterior lateral cross-section of the group as awhole is non-circular, and the slimline waste conduit device can beconsidered to have a minor lateral dimension and a major lateraldimension which is greater than the minor lateral dimension.

The multiple bores or channels of the second and third embodiments areindependent of each other so as to be liquidly isolated. However, in amodification of the second embodiment, multiple channels which extend inparallel with each other, but which are open to enable liquidcommunication therebetween are possible.

Particularly with shower trays which directly support a user, as opposedto a shower former, the minor exterior lateral dimension is sufficientlysmall to permit the slimline waste conduit device to be received orsubstantially received within a depth of the shower tray.

Although preferably received beneath the shower tray or former, theslimline waste conduit device can be used in an upward discharge showerwaste system. In this case, the waste water outlet of the waste waterdevice is a the top of the waste water device, for example, through thegrid cover. In this modification, the slimline waste conduit device isused in conjunction with an electric waste water pump.

Although the shower tray or former, the waste water device and theslimline waste conduit device are all formed separately, it is feasiblethat two or more of these elements can be formed integrally together asone-piece.

In the above embodiments, the waste conduit device has an increasedhydraulic radius over a single drainage pipe of circular cross-sectionwhich is suitable for standard connection to a shower tray or showerformer for drainage and which has a diameter equivalent to the minorlateral dimension of the slimline waste conduit device. Therefore thedraining efficiency is significantly increased.

It is thus possible to provide a shower drainage system which isextremely low-level and compact in design, allowing fitment below theshower tray or shower former in a particularly tight and confined space,whilst still permitting flow-rates under gravity equivalent to standardcircular bore drain pipes. It is also possible to provide single ormulti-bore slimline waste conduit device, which is sufficiently rigid toprevent sag. It is further possible to provide a transition elementwhich is invertible to allow a selectable fall to a standard drain pipe.

Further benefits of this system can be envisaged where shower drainagewaste pipes of the type herein so described may also be beneficiallyturned through 90 degrees such that the major lateral dimension extendsaway from the shower tray, conveniently permitting the waste pipe to beattached to floor timber joists and the like and to be routed whererestrictions or obstructions below the shower floor may make aconventional circular shower drain pipe unsuitable.

The embodiments described above are given by way of examples only, andvarious other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in theart without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined by theappended claims.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A shower drainage system (10) comprising a showertray or former (12), a waste water device (14) attached to a waste wateroutlet (16) of the shower tray or former (12), and a slimline wasteconduit device (18; 118) extending from a waste water outlet (20) of thewaste water device (14) and which has a minor lateral dimensionextending substantially perpendicularly to the shower tray or former anda major lateral dimension extending substantially parallel with the trayor former, the major lateral dimension being greater than the minorlateral dimension, the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) having alower interior surface (44) and/or an upper interior surface (46) whichinclude(s) at least two concave portions in a lateral plane.
 22. Ashower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimlinewaste conduit device (18; 118) has, or when taken as a whole, anon-circular exterior lateral cross-section.
 23. A shower drainagesystem (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the at least two concaveportions (48) are contiguously formed with each other.
 24. A showerdrainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline wasteconduit device (18; 118) includes a transition element (52; 152) forconnection of the conduit (18; 118) to a waste water pipe.
 25. A showerdrainage system (10) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the transitionelement (52; 152) is separate of a conduit body (42) of the wasteconduit device (18; 118).
 26. A shower drainage system (10) as claimedin claim 24, wherein the transition element is integrally formed asone-piece with a conduit body of the waste conduit device.
 27. A showerdrainage system (10) as claimed in claim 24, wherein the transitionelement (52; 152) is invertible to alter a fall to the waste water pipe.28. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein theslimline waste conduit device (18; 118) includes a plurality of channels(50; 150) extending therethrough.
 29. A shower drainage system asclaimed in claim 28, wherein each channel (150) is an independent borewhich has a circular or substantially circular interior lateralcross-section.
 30. A shower drainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21,wherein the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) extends beneath theshower tray or former (12) to a drain or a drain pipe.
 31. A showerdrainage system (10) as claimed in claim 21, wherein the slimline wasteconduit device (18; 118) is within or substantially within a depth ofthe shower tray or former (12).
 32. A slimline waste conduit device (18;118) for connection to a waste water device (14) of a shower drainagesystem (10) as claimed in claim 21, the slimline waste conduit device(18; 118) having a lower interior surface (44) and/or an upper interiorsurface (46) which include at least two concave portions in a lateralplane.
 33. A slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) as claimed in claim32, wherein the waste conduit device (18; 118) includes two or morechannels (50; 150).
 34. A slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) asclaimed in claim 32, in combination with a waste water device (14) forlocation in a waste water outlet (16) of a shower tray or shower former(12).
 35. A shower drainage system (10) comprising a shower tray orformer (12), a waste water device (14) attached to a waste water outlet(16) of the shower tray or former (12), and a slimline waste conduitdevice (18; 118) extending from a waste water outlet (20) of the wastewater device (14) and which has a minor lateral dimension extendingsubstantially perpendicularly to the shower tray or former and a majorlateral dimension extending substantially parallel with the tray orformer, the major lateral dimension being greater than the minor lateraldimension, the slimline waste conduit device (18; 118) including two ormore channels (50; 150).